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Sherlock Squadron faces extinction

After 27 years helping area youth grow into responsible adults, the 553 Sherlock Squadron Royal Canadian Air Cadets is in danger of closure due to a declining number of recruits.

Captain Krystal Klenk, commanding officer of squadron 553, said the Department of National Defence (DND) has informed the squadron they must “put in the effort” to sign up at least five or six new recruits, on top of their current five, for the 2013-2014 cadet year or they will be shut down following that year.

“The problem with that is there is not many squadrons around this area,” said Klenk. “We’re actually smack dab in the middle of no cadet squadrons. If the squadron does close by not getting enough cadets in, then there won’t be a squadron for a good hour radius.”

Klenk said the squadron gives young people an opportunity to excel as leaders and develop professionally and as good citizens through its focus on self-discipline, order, structure and public speaking. She said the program also provides fun experiences for the recruits such as a gliding day, exchanges with other squadrons in different parts of the country, survival exercises and trips to the Canadian Forces base in Moose Jaw and the RCMP depot, with funding for the trips coming from DND.

“We need to get the word out that there is this program and all that it has to offer,” she said. “In the past, I’m not too sure people were aware of all it had to offer, kids knowing what it has and also parents knowing the benefits that it can create for their child.”

Formed in February 1986, the squadron has had a membership as high as 42 cadets one year and ran with around 15 to 20 recruits for a number of years. Members are between the ages of 12 and 19 and the cadet year runs from September to the end of May. Cadets do not have an obligation to join the Canadian Forces once they become of age.

To read more please see the March 18 print edition of The Davidson Leader.

Davidson

Local Catholics looking to acquaint themselves with new Pope

The Roman Catholic Church elected a new pontiff last Wednesday in Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 76, who took the name Pope Francis, but Reverend Joseph Gyim-Austin believes the direction of the Church will remain the same.

“I don’t think he is going to bring any new thing, but only help us to embrace in our own faith what we believe, what we have always believed, what we stand for and what the church is always ready to give,” said Gyim-Austin, pastor of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Parish (Davidson), Holy Redeemer (Elbow), St. Andrew’s (Kenaston) and Immaculate Heart of Mary (Outlook).

Gyim-Austin said he does not know much about the man, but that would soon change through information coming through the diocese. He said the selection of the name Francis, after St. Francis of Assisi, does give insight into his position on Christ and the Church.

“Francis wants to be a humble person,” he said. “It is the Church of Christ and if you want to follow Christ then you must also be ready to live that humble life and that hopefully will resonate in his own life as well as in the entire church.”

Roman Catholic churchgoers have been praying for a new pope since Pope Benedict XVI stepped down Feb. 28 citing a lack of strength. This was the first resignation of a sitting pope in over 600 years.

Gyim-Austin said the resignation by Benedict XVI was hard to take at first, but he realized it was the right move for the Church as time went on. He said Benedict XVI was a good leader during his eight years as head of the Church and that is evident by his decision to resign when he felt he could no longer be an effective pastor.

“He did it for the sake of the Church,” he said. “When you know that you don’t have the strength anymore, and at his age also, he felt it was necessary that somebody could come up to continue the work.”

The Church is “rejoicing” now that a successor has been chosen, said Gyim-Austin, but there are no decisions made as of yet to how to mark the election of the new head of the Church.

“The diocese will give direction towards the celebration,” he said. “In our own local churches at our Eucharist celebrations we will mention (Pope Francis) and then the feeling will come naturally.”

Sports

Cyclones advance to provincial final

The Davidson Cyclones senior men’s hockey team is heading to the provincial finals this weekend with the opportunity to create a four-year provincial champion dynasty.

The Cyclones will face off against the Hudson Bay Hunters (14-6 in the Fishing Lake Hockey League this season) in Hudson Bay this Friday with game two going March 30 at the Davidson Rink. If necessary, game three will be played a day later back in Hudson Bay.

The Cyclones made their way to the finals by sweeping the Radville Nationals two games to nothing in South “C” Finals action by winning their second game 6-4 in come-from-behind fashion March 8 at the Radville Rink. The Cyclones won the first game 4-3 in Davidson March 2.

Jason Shaw, head coach of the Cyclones, said the second game was a “hard-working win” for the team against a skilled Radville club that played tough until the end. He said it was a smaller rink in Radville than the Cyclones are used to which made it especially hard for his team to eke out a win.

“Radville were ahead 4-3 in the third and (Derek Allan) scored our fourth one with about eight minutes left,” said Shaw. “That was a big goal and he then got another one to put us ahead. They had some pressure at the end, but we got an empty netter to seal the deal. It was close right till that sixth goal.”

Shaw said the team were missing a few players for the game and had to go with four defencemen after Zach Sim went down with an injury late in the game, but the players that were there had a “good game” enabling them to make it to the finals.

To read more please see the March 18 print edition of The Davidson Leader.

Davidson

Schools practise lockdown drills

School safety is on everyone’s minds after recent school shooting tragedies in the United States.

In an effort to put people at ease, schools in Davidson and Kenaston are letting students, staff and parents know they would be conducting drills in the near future at the schools in the event of a potential lockdown situation. Craik School has already been conducting these drills for several years now.

Jason Low, principal of Davidson School, said they have conducted perimeter (external doors locked) and interior (classroom doors locked) drills in the past, but more testing is needed with them. He said these drills are just preventive and they want to have some practice and a plan in place in case of a security situation.

“It’s a hot topic right now because of all those things (in the States),” said Low. “We’re just trying to do our part to stay on top of things and have our procedures in place and make sure that we’re practised and calm.”

Low said school staff has begun discussions at their meetings to determine their role and ways to keep students informed and at ease during a lockdown situation. He said one thing that staff would like to impress upon students is to put away their cell phones during a lockdown situation so as not to spread panic in the community and keep phone lines from being blocked for emergency services.

“It’s a learning curve for us too as we get going,” he said. “We’re trying to figure things out on how we can keep kids informed and calm and work with them.”

Kenaston School principal Ryan Johnson said they have formed a crisis team made up of three teachers and one office staff member and is meeting this week to plan their lockdown drill. He said this drill would be their first of the year, but they have conducted them at the school in the past.

“We’re going to go through the list of things that need to happen, such as the script that will be said over the intercom,” said Johnson about what will be discussed among the crisis team this week. “With the first one, we are going to let parents, community (members), staff and students know about it, so they will be aware about what they should be doing and it’s not a stressful situation.

“Then the next one, if we have one before the end of the year, will probably be a regular unannounced drill for practice purposes.”

To read more please see the March 18 print edition of The Davidson Leader.

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Davidson harbours stranded motorists

Davidson’s population rose by about 200 the evening of March 3 and early morning of March 4 thanks to a blizzard that swept through the area closing Highway 11 between Chamberlain and Davidson for approximately 10 hours.

Trish Schilling, Davidson emergency management officer (EMO), said around 150 to 200 people ranging in age from a one-year-old baby to a 93-year-old lady were routed from Hwy. 11 to Davidson Town Hall between the hours of 7 p.m. March 3 to 1 a.m. March 4. She said the majority of people waited out the storm at the town hall, but many were also redirected to billets in the community and a sleeping space at the Davidson New Life Pentecostal Assembly.

“We have a billet list (of people) who are willing to take in stranded travellers, so we phoned them and exhausted that list,” said Schilling. “Then Russell and Angela Sparks opened up the Pentecostal Church and we billeted some out there. The remainder just held off (at the town hall) until the highways were opened (at 5 a.m.) and they took they their chances once the roads were clear.”

Around 20 billets in the community opened their homes to approximately 50 people, while another 25 people slept on bedding provided by the Davidson Health Centre at the Assembly. The remaining 75 to 125 people spent the night at the town hall where tables and chairs were set up, coffee was provided through volunteer work by Danielle Schneider, diapers were given by town residents and food in the form of pizzas and sandwiches were donated by Toppers Bar and Grill for the hungry stranded.

“We just provided a warm spot where travellers could be, so they weren’t on the side of the road,” said Schilling.

Craik RCMP constable Ian Smith said the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways closed the stretch of Hwy. 11 between Chamberlain and Davidson at approximately 7 p.m. March 3 due to three separate accidents on the curve at Hwy. 11 at Girvin and reopened it at around 5 a.m. He said there were “too many vehicles to count” in the ditch that night, but there were no injuries.

To read more please see the March 11 print edition of The Davidson Leader.

Davidson

Kinettes Club sells out Ladies Night Out

The Davidson Kinettes are thrilled their “Ladies Night Out” fund-raiser at Town Hall this Saturday has sold out.

Brenna Siroski, a member of the Kinettes, said the club doesn’t have their hearts set on a certain amount they’d like to raise as the main goal of the night out was just to provide a fun evening for the ladies in town. She said 224 tickets were sold for the event that features entertainment from Elvis impersonator Rory Allen.

“He was here quite a few years ago and is a phenomenal entertainer,” said Siroski, noting it was Stacey Siroski who recommended him for the show. “He really attracts a variety of a crowd of people. I know looking at my ticket sales that we have our young 20-year-olds coming out all the way up to my grandma who is in her 80s. We’re getting the whole spectrum with Rory Allen, which is really nice.”

Doors open at 7 p.m. for the night out with Allen taking the stage for the first of two 45-minute sets at 8 p.m. There will also be a silent auction and a 50-50 draw during the evening. There is not going to be a supper, but there will be a bar opened up for drinks along with a “bun lunch” after the entertainment.

A coat check at the door is being put on by Davidson School students, which will be run as a silver collection with all proceeds from the coat check going towards outdoor education trips.

Siroski said the Kinettes have been organizing a “Ladies Night Out” around every other year and always have a “really great turnout” with everyone in attendance having a good night. She said all money raised during the night would go towards “multiple” causes in the community.

“We don’t just designate it for one specific event,” she said. “Over the year the Kinettes give to individual families who apply for financial help or we’ve donated to the swimming pool and Telemiracle. We’ve helped with money going to the thrift store when it opened and we have a scholarship at the school. It’s just a variety of things.”

After the “Ladies Night Out,” Siroski said the next fund-raiser the Kinettes are putting on would be the second annual Davidson Amazing Race this June.